The Pilot Research Projects Core will: (a) encourage exploratory and developmental research projects relevant to the mission of the Center by providing support for research projects during their early and conceptual stages of development;(b) facilitate the development and incorporation of new technologies into the Center;and (c) foster collaboration between members of the different scientific programs. Proposed studies should break new ground or extend previous discoveries toward new directions, applications or product development. Emphasis will be placed on studies that take advantage of the unique resources and expertise of scientists and clinicians within the Medical College of Wisconsin and its partner institutions, as well as those that add value to or facilitate work within the proposed projects. An important goal is to entice investigators not currently working on issues related to radiation exposure and treatment to focus on this area. Pilot grant support may be requested for up to two years. The budget may not exceed $200,000 (no more than $100,000/yr). Special application forms have been developed. No preliminary data is required but may be included. Principal Investigators must be either a faculty member in one of the consortium academic institutions or a qualified scientist employed by a non-academic partner company. Co-investigators and collaborators do not have to be at the same institution as the PI or be employed by these institutions. An 8-10 member Research Grants Committee will review pilot grant applications on an annual basis. Reviewers will be provided with a stipend for their efforts. Half the members will be external reviewers, not affiliated with the Center. The Committee will act in the manner of an NIH study section to evaluate the scientific merit of proposals, assign priority scores, and recommend awards to the Executive Committee. Pilot grants will be solicited annually. Both hard copy and electronic announcements will be used to publicize the availability of Pilot Research Grants within academic and non-academic partner institutions. Annual progress reports will be required. Grantees will be monitored for productivity and progress. Successful pilot projects will be considered for conversion to full Research/Development Projects, subject to NIAID approval. The major goals of this Core is to bring new investigators and new ideas into the field of radiological terrorism countermeasures.